Growing Stronger
by StephEzzy27
Summary: Bobby and Ann try to move on after the secrets of her past are made public at Harris's trial. Rated M for future chapters ;)
1. Chapter 1

The memories flooded back. She could remember as if it were yesterday the day Emma was taken from her. She had dreamed for so long of getting her back, and finally that day had come. She had expected a joyous reunion, but she was met with the greatest heartache of her life. They had brainwashed her; Harris and that manipulative woman had convinced Emma that Ann was the criminal. And to make matters worse, now Bobby knew everything, down to her fight against prescription drugs.

"Annie, why didn't you just tell me?" he asked softly, the two of them sitting up stiffly in bed, looking straight ahead. "For God's sake, Sue Ellen spent more than half of her damn life as an alcoholic; it wouldn't have changed anything"

Ann let out a small, incredulous laugh before responding. "Tell the truth Bobby. There's no way you would have even dated me had you known about my past, so don't try telling me nothin' would have changed" she said, sending a glare his way.

Bobby turned to face her and took her hands firmly in his. He held her eyes in a strong stare, refusing to let her back down.

"No Annie, listen to me" he commanded. "I fell in love with you for who you are, not who you used to be. It was your incredibly generous and caring heart that won me over; it was you, not your past."

She started to shake her head before he brought a hand to her face. He could tell she didn't believe him.

"Do you know the moment I fell for you?" he asked, smiling at her.

"Stop" she pleaded softly. She didn't want meaningless words.

"No, I'm serious. I don't think I've ever told you" he replied honestly. He uncovered himself from the sheets, moving to the foot of the bed to turn and face her.

"Do you remember that old barn you used to work at, over by the Jones property? The stable was one good storm away from falling down, but you _wanted_ to work there. They never turned a single child away from therapy riding, even if it meant the roof wouldn't get patched, or you wouldn't get paid"

Ann cracked a small smile as she reminisced on her days working with the children.

"I came to pick you up one day, and you were still working with one of the kids, a little girl. She was grinning from ear to ear as you guided the horse around. When you took her off, she gave you a big hug before running to her parents' truck. You were crying when you came over to me, and I had no idea why. On the way home, you told me -" he began before Ann took over.

"She had just been adopted from an abusive home, and I was the first person she let hug her" she nodded and looked down as a stray tear fell.

"I should have married you that very day. That girl saw in you what took me an entire lifetime to find in someone" he told her. He put a hand under her chin and gently lifted it to meet his gaze.

"This does not change us, Ann."

Ann had convinced herself this would be the end for her and Bobby; in an instant, all the emotion she had been keeping bottled up came pouring out. The tears began to fall in a steady stream and she collapsed forward against the strong body of her husband. Her body shook as she cried, and Bobby wrapped his arms firmly around her and held her tight. He placed a light kiss on the top off her head and continued to rock her.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day came and went; they were quiet with each other. It was as if Ann was embarrassed that she had let Bobby see such a weak side of her. He wanted to say something. He couldn't find the right words. He loved her, God, he loved her. How could he make her see that, see that it was okay to make herself vulnerable?

That night, they were getting ready for bed and Ann was about to turn the bedside light off when Bobby stopped her. He took her hand in his and looked deep into her eyes.

"I want you to tell me, Annie. Tell me how it started."

The color flooded away from her face as she sunk backwards against the headboard of their bed. She curled her legs up under her and let out a deep sigh.

"I haven't thought about that part of my life in a long time" she admitted to him, "I've blocked it out for so long, Bobby"

He moved closer to her, grasping her other hand tightly.

"This won't make me think any less of you, it will only make me understand you more" he explained softly.

"That's not what I'm worried about" she told him. "I'm not worried you'll think less of me, I'm worried you won't think the _same_ of me. I don't want this to ruin who we are"

A solitary tear fell and started to roll down her cheek. Bobby was quick to wipe it away with his thumb before planting a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Whatever happens, I'm here for you. You'll just have to take my word on that" he responded. Ann curled up tighter and repositioned herself so that she was facing him.

"Okay, I'll tell you" she finally said, "But you have to promise not to be upset I didn't tell you earlier"

"Done" he replied, before she had even finished talking.

Ann let out a deep sigh before continuing.

"When I first met and married Harris, everything was wonderful, just like a good relationship should be. We were in the honeymoon phase, and I was so happy. Then, about five months into the marriage, it changed" she paused before continuing, taking a deep breath to steady herself.

"One day, I was late gettin' home for work, so everything I had planned to do that afternoon was pushed back. We always had dinner right when Harris came home" she explained.

Bobby was struggling to understand where this was going, but he kept his eyes focused on Ann and let her continue.

"That night, he came home, and I had just started dinner. It was chicken, I think. He had never cooked himself a meal in his damn life, but he knew an unfinished one when he saw it" she said, and her eyes started to gloss over as she went back in time 22 years.

"Somethin' had gotten him upset at work, and it came home with him. It was like a switch flipped in him. He - he charged into the kitchen and took the pan off the stove. There was, I'm not sure, some sort of broth in the pan with the chicken, and he -" she struggled to finish, "-threw it at me".

_You lazy bitch. You know, I don't ask much of you Ann. All I want is to come home and find a nice dinner on the table. But you can't even do that. You're a failure Ann, a god damned failure._

The memories of her own cries of pain echoed in her mind.

Bobby's eyes grew wide and his heart filled with a mixture of sorrow and pure rage that someone would ever do something like than to a woman as wonderful as Ann.

"Oh God, Ann" he whispered softly, bringing his hands up to rub her arms. "The burns on your stomach?" he asked.

She nodded her head slowly.

Bobby had noticed them soon after their courtship began. They were small, light-colored scars; about a dozen of them, varying in shape and size, created a disordered pattern across her midriff. She had told him it was an farriering accident.

"It could have been much worse. As soon as he did it, I drenched myself in water. I think it stopped it from burnin' so badly" she explained.

"After that night, the rest followed. He started to say I didn't look good enough for him; he made me wear certain things. Then when I fell into a depression over how he was treatin' me, he made me take medication. He would threaten me if I didn't take it. He -" she paused for a minute, contemplating how to phrase her next statement.

"Please, Annie", Bobby asked. "I'm listening".

"The night that Emma was conceived" she began, "I didn't want it to happen"

"You didn't want it to happen?" Bobby asked, "You weren't planning on having kids?"

"Well, no, I wasn't" she told him. "I had made up my mind in the months leading up that we weren't goin' to have children. I couldn't let an innocent child be brought up in such a toxic environment. But, that's not what I meant Bobby" she tried to explain.

She wanted to come right out and say it, but the words refused to fall from her lips. She exhaled deeply and rubbed her temples.

"What are you trying to say Ann?" Bobby questioned.

"He forced me that night" she admitted.

All those years of secrecy, gone. She lifted her glance and made eye contact with Bobby.

"Oh, no, Annie" he whispered, touching her arm gently.

Ann just pressed her forehead into her bent knees and closed her eyes. He wanted to let her stay silent, but he had to know something.

"Was that the only time?" he asked softly.

"No" she whispered in reply.


	3. Chapter 3

Thank God the next day was Sunday because they could both use a little rest. Bobby was in shock, to the point where he could barely speak. All these questions and emotions rushed through him, and he was too overwhelmed to process any of it. Why would anyone treat another person so poorly, and Ann of all people? She had the most kindhearted, gentle soul of anyone Bobby had ever met. He looked over and saw her sleeping peacefully beside him, no sign of the pain he had seen in her face just hours earlier, and the pain she had been hiding for more than twenty years.

She started to stir, and Bobby tried to move back into a sleeping position, not wanting her to know he had been thinking - it was his tell. Anytime something was on his mind, good or bad, Ann would wake to find him sitting up in bed, just quietly going over the thoughts in his head. She woke before he had a chance to lie down. Rolling over to face him, she gave a weak smile.

"You don't have to try to hide it from me Bobby" she told him. "I know what you must be thinkin' about"

He smiled back at her, and moved under the covers, closer to her.

"Well, I never could hide very much from you, could I Ann?"

She smiled and brought a hand up to his face, stroking his cheek, "Please don't pity me"

"How can I not?" he asked in shock. "You're my wife, my best friend, and to know this happened to you, I can't help but be upset" he confessed.

"Yes, you can, because the only happiness I've ever felt with a man has been with you" she stated matter-of-factly.

Bobby smiled widely, bringing a hand up to stroke her face.

"I love you more than anyone in the world; you know that, right?" he asked softly.

"Of course, I do. There's no way I couldn't" she explained, bringing her hand to rest on his. "You're the finest man I know"

Bobby moved closer to Ann and planted a soft kiss on her forehead. Her attitude encouraged him. He couldn't believe how positive she was, but he was determined not to let his own feelings on the matter affect her happiness. If only his wish for this was able to translate into his actions.


End file.
